The Quiet Ones
by alyssialui
Summary: Colin finds someone who listens to him. A semi-related collection to drabbles. Odd pairing - Colin/Gabrielle. Set in GoF.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: They both know what it's like to live in the shadows, constantly following someone else. Five-shot. Odd pairing - Colin/Gabrielle. Set in GoF. I'm slightly ignoring the age-difference, but at the same time, they won't get very handsy._

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The 5 Drabbles Competition:** Round 4 - Colin/Gabrielle. Prompt: (word) believe_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

Colin leaned around the corner, his camera hanging off his neck as he watched the dark-haired boy walked through the corridors. Harry's shoulders were slumped, his eyes darting all around as he moved quickly through the crowd, trying not to meet any of the angry eyes trained on him. After his name had been pulled from the Goblet after Cedric Diggory, no one was too happy about it. They all thought he was a cheat who had somehow wanted to steal the Hufflepuff boy's thunder.

But Colin knew better. He had watched Harry enough to know the boy hated the attention, especially whenever he snapped his pictures. Harry would never put his name in the Goblet willingly, and he had nothing against Diggory.

But who would listen to him? Although, he had grown a bit over the summer, he was still just a small Third Year Gryffindor, who was known around the school for his blind hero-worship of the boy. No one would believe him if he said Harry didn't do it.

"Do you believe 'e did it?" a soft voice asked on his right.

He turned wildly, his arms flailing as he came face to face with a small girl in a bright blue uniform. She looked at him with her bright blue eyes before she chuckled and said, "Harry Potter. Do you believe 'e did it purposely?"

He cleared his throat before he shook his head. "No, Harry isn't like that. He wouldn't do something like this," he said as strongly as he could.

The girl nodded. "I zon't think 'e did either, but my sister won't listen to me. No one ever listens to me."

"No one listens to me either," Colin said a bit sullenly.

"I listened," she said with a smile, before she added, "I'm Gabrielle."

"Colin," he said, returning it.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Colin finds Gabrielle in need._

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The 5 Drabbles Competition:**_ _Round 4 - Colin/Gabrielle. Prompt: (song) S_ _weater Weather by The Neighborhood_

* * *

Colin drew his sweater closer around his body as he exited the Greenhouses behind his classmates. It was a very cold day in November and he couldn't wait to get back inside the warm castle.

"So, Colin, you wanna help me with my Transfiguration essay after dinner?" Mark asked a few steps ahead of him.

Colin was about to answer when his eyes moved towards the Beauxbaton carriages parked next to the Black Lake, landing on the lone figure standing at the water's edge.

"Sure, but I just have to do something first," Colin said as he separated from his friends, not even listening to their light-hearted teasing as he made his way over to the figure.

"Hey Gabrielle," he said warmly as he approached her.

She turned, her lips trembling as she offered him a small smile. "Allo, Colin. What are you doing here?"

He pointed back towards the frosted glass of Greenhouse 2 before he asked, "What are you doing out here without a sweater?"

Gabrielle frowned before she turned back towards the Lake. "I got into an argument with my classmates, and my sister scolded me in front of everyone for embarrassing her. So I came out here, but forgot my sweater."

"You could go back and get it," Colin offered.

"No! I don't want to go anywhere near her!" Gabrielle said a bit heatedly, before adding. "Not yet anyway."

Colin thought a moment before he began unbuttoning his own sweater. "You could have mine," he said.

Gabrielle's mouth opened in surprise before she hastily shook her head. "No, I couldn't. I-"

"Here, take it," he said, holding the garment out to her. "I've already taken it off."

She smiled before she slipped it on, rubbing the soft, warm fabric against her face. "Merci, Colin."

"Think- Ah!" he said as she wrapped her arms around him. Once over his surprise, he reached her hands, the arms of his sweater much longer than her own, and said, "Think nothing of it, Gabrielle."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/n: Colin spends the afternoon with Gabrielle._

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The 5 Drabbles Competition:** Round 4 - Colin/Gabrielle. Prompt: (color) gray_

* * *

As the days went by, Colin began spending more and more time with Gabrielle. She was just a happy and carefree person, and she actually listened to what he said, and cared about what he thought. He felt like he could tell her everything, and he loved hearing about all her stories about life in France.

Today, they were both outside once more. It was a Saturday, meaning there was no classes scheduled for him, but it also meant a Hogsmeade weekend. However, he found it more enjoyable to spend the day with her.

"Are you sure you didn't want to go with your friends instead of spending the day with an eight-year-old?" she asked, sitting up and looking over at him. They had been lying on their backs for a while now, not wanting to destroy their snow-angels as they stared up at the gray sky.

He grinned as he sat up, brushing off a bit of snow on the front of his coat. "I'm sure. All Mark and Maria do is argue, and Gloria goes on and on about how she can't drink butterbeer because it's too sweet."

Gabrielle giggled before she leaned back and moved her arms again. "If you zay so. I just find it hard to believe."

Colin chuckled. "I can't believe you never made snow-angels before."

Gabrielle shrugged. "No one ever showed me before. Fleur never really liked ze snow."

"And you do?" Colin asked.

"I love ze snow," Gabrielle said.

"Then you'll like this," he said, grabbing a handful and throwing it towards the smaller girl.

She shrieked, jumping to her feet as she grabbed her own handful and threw it back, her aim taking the ball a mile away.

"You have to be better than that, Gabrielle," he said, as he took up another handful and began chasing her around, messing up their beautiful snow-angels in the process.

"Colin! I've been looking everywhere for you!" someone said.

Colin turned around to see his brother running across the grounds. He hadn't been spending as much time with him since he had met Gabrielle, something he was ashamed to admit, but that could easily be remedied now.

"Attack Dennis!" he shouted, pointing at his brother.

Gabrielle followed instruction and soon, the three of them were involved in a lovely snowball fight. This was definitely better than a trip to Hogsmeade.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Colin watches the Second Task._

 _Submission for:_

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The 5 Drabbles Competition:** Round 4 - Colin/Gabrielle. Prompt: (emotion) worry_

* * *

He knew something was up when he couldn't find her this morning. He had even asked some of the other Beauxbaton students, but they didn't know where she was. This was definitely peculiar. Even though she and her sister had a somewhat strained relationship, she still loved Fleur and there was no way Gabrielle would miss the Second Task.

However, when Harry broke the surface with two hostages and not one like the other champions, it all made sense. Everyone around him was cheering, but all Colin could focus on was his second hostage. Gabrielle's small face was blue, her eyes shut and her hair plastered to her scalp, before she took one loud gasp. She began to panic, her hands flailing in the water before she threw her arms around Harry's neck, clutching onto him for dear life.

He ran down the stands towards the Champions' Tent, pushing everyone he could out of his way and using his small stature to slip past those he couldn't until he was right outside.

"Zank you so much for saving my sister," he heard Fleur say as she began smothering Harry in kisses.

He came up behind the pair and tapped the smaller girl's shoulder. She turned towards him and said, "Colin, I-"

He interrupted her by picking her up, not caring about her damp body wetting his clothes as he spun her around. She laughed in delight before he put her back down on her feet. "I was so worried when I couldn't find you this morning," he said, letting the relief wash over him when he was confident she was fine.

"'Zank you. I-"

"Come, Gabrielle," Fleur said, stepping forward and placing a guiding hand on the little girl's shoulder. She directed a curious look towards Colin before she said, "We have to go back to ze carriages."

Gabrielle looked down at her feet before she said, "Oui oui," leaving Colin without another word.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Gabrielle talks to Colin._

 _Submission for:_

 _ **The 5 Drabbles Competition:** Round 4 - Colin/Gabrielle. Prompt: (creature) butterfly_

* * *

The weather was getting warmer now, something Colin was grateful for. It meant he didn't have to wear sweaters constantly, and he could go outside without freezing his toes off.

He was walking back towards the castle, talking with his friends about the class that had just finished when someone ran up to him. He smiled nervously as she greeted him.

"Hey, Gabrielle," he said, waving his friends off as they continued towards the castle. Ever since the Second Task, Gabrielle had seemed to be avoiding him. She stopped meeting him by the Lake, and he rarely saw her outside of his classes.

"I am sorry we 'aven't spoken in a while," she said, shifting from one foot to the other. "It's just that Fleur-"

"You don't have to explain anything, Gabrielle," he said, holding up his hand to stop her. "I wouldn't want to make anyone upset, or to get you in trouble."

He began to walk away from her but she held onto the sleeve of his uniform. "Which is why I spoke to her. I told her how wonderful you are, how sweet and kind and thoughtful, and how much I wanted to still be your friend."

Colin felt his face grow warm with every word before he asked, "Really?"

Gabrielle nodded before she added, "And I got you this."

She moved her hands from her around her back, somehow he hadn't even noticed she was hiding something, and revealed the most beautiful butterfly he had ever seen. Its bright purple and blue wings glittered in the afternoon sun as it fluttered slightly within the jar she was holding.

"I know how much you like to take pictures of insects, and I saw zis butterfly near the carriages. Do you want to find more of them?"

Colin smiled as he linked arms with her. "I'd love to."


End file.
